Netherlands will be looking to end an unwanted 36-year streak when they square off against Turkey in their Euro 2024 quarter-final on Saturday night.
Netherlands will be bidding to end a long 36-year wait when they face Turkey in their Euro 2024 quarter-final on Saturday night.
Oranje have endured somewhat of a mixed time in Germany, being controversially denied the chance to beat France and losing to Austria during the group stages.
However, despite finishing in third position in Group D, Ronald Koeman‘s side found themselves on the favourable side of the draw and with arguably the best route to the final.
A comprehensive 3-0 victory over Romania was recorded in the last 16 to set up a showdown with Turkey in Berlin, the winners going on to face either Switzerland or England.
Koeman will certainly not be getting ahead of himself as he bids to end Netherlands’ wait for major glory, yet there will be an acknowledgement that the stars may be aligning to at least reach the final.
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Netherlands bidding to end unwanted streak
The win over Romania represented just the third time that Netherlands have won a knockout tie at a European Championship in nine attempts.
On just one occasion, in 1988 when they lifted the trophy, have they ever recorded successive victories past the group phase.
Since then, Netherlands have reached the quarter-finals and semi-finals four times, but that came when only 16 teams were participating in the tournament.
On a more positive note, Netherlands have impressively emerged victorious from five of their last seven major quarter-finals, one of the two defeats coming courtesy of a penalty-shootout defeat to Argentina at the 2022 World Cup.
From Turkey’s perspective, though, they have won their last two last-eight encounters at a major tournament, which came at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2008 respectively.
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What is the head-to-head record of Netherlands and Turkey?
Saturday’s showdown will represent the 15th time that these nations have met on the international stage, eight of which have taken place since the turn of the millennium.
Nevertheless, this is the first to occur at a major tournament, and supporters will expect goals based on their last two encounters in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
Turkey prevailed 4-2 in their home fixture, Burak Yilmaz scoring a famous hat-trick against the Dutch, but their opponents would get their revenge six months later.
On that occasion, it was Memphis Depay who scored the treble for his side, Netherlands racing into a 4-0 lead by the 54-minute mark before ultimately winning by a 6-1 scoreline.
In total, Netherlands have secured success in six of their 14 matches, with Turkey accumulating four wins of their own.
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